This invention relates generally to shock detectors and, more specifically, to shock detectors that can be used to prevent electric shock drowning by detecting the presence of current leakage into a body of fresh water and if the current leakage comprises a hazard to a swimmer or a person coming into contact with the body of water since the current leakage into a body of water creates an electric field in the body of water. Typically, the current leakage occurs from a faulty electrical connection on a boat or dock.
It is known that if a swimmer encounters a body of water with an electric field the swimmer can be electrocuted. The mere presence of the swimmer in the electric field causes the current flowing in the water to take a path of least electrical resistance through the swimmers body since the wet skin on a swimmer's body has a lower electrical resistance than the water surrounding the swimmer. If the voltage differential is sufficiently high the current flowing through the swimmer's body can electrocute the swimmer. In still other cases a nonswimmer may be electrocuted if he or she comes into incidental contact with a body of water, which has leakage from an electrical source.